Hitching-post



S. H. SMITH. EITGHING POST.

4(No Model.)

No. 545,984..l

Patented Sept. 10,1895.

jij@ @AN Wihjesses ATENT FFlCl0 SETH H. SMITH, OF HILLSDALE, MICHIGAN.

H ITCH LNG-POST?.

SPECIFICATION forming part of g Letters Patent No. 545,984, dated September 10, 1895.`

Application filed April 20, 1395. Serial No. 5161509. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/s Be it known that I, SETH H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hillsdale, in the county of Hillsdale and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Hitching-Post, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in bitching-posts, and while particularly designed for use as a hitching-post may also be used as an ordinary fence-post.

The object of the present invention is to provide a bitching-post of simple, durable, and inexpensive constructiomwhich is composed of several materials, whereby the part thereof which enters the ground is capable of resisting the effects of the wet or moistened earth and at the same time forms an efiicient support and foundation for the upper portion of the post, or that portion which is in sight abovethe surface of the ground.

A further object of the invention is to construct said post in such manner that it may be made of any desired height and be readily connected with an adjacent post by a suitable anchoring-plate. u

Other advantages will appear in the course of the subjoined description.

To accomplish the above lobjects the invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and finally embodied in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective View of a bitching-post constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view varying slightly in the general construction of the post. Fig. 3 is a plan view of one of the plastic blocks. Fig. 4c is a similar View of one of the binding or key plates. Fig. 5 shows a pair of posts connected by an anchoring-plate. Fig. 6 is a plan View of the anchoring-plate.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

This invention contemplates a bitching or fence post made up of several sections, the lower part of the post being composed of one or more sections formed from clay, brick, cement, or other plastic material, and the upper portion of the post being formed from a standard or upright, preferably of Wood.

Referring to the drawings, l designates` a u,

metallic plate provided with oppositely-disposed perforations 2, for the reception of a pair of tie-bolts 3, by means of which the several parts or sections of a complete post are firmly secured together.

4 indicates a block of baked clay, cement, stone, or any plastic material, which is placed upon the perforated platelreferred to. The block or section 4 may be square or rectangular in cross section, but is preferably formed as shown in Fig. 3--that is, with vertically-extending grooves or depressions 5, disposed upon opposite sides thereof or arranged in such manner as to receive and partially embrace the tie rods 3. Arranged above such block llis another plate l similar standard 6, which forms that part of the post above the surface of the ground, may also be provided with oppositely-disposed grooves in its sides corresponding substantially to the grooves in the blocks 4, and said upright or standard is preferably tapered or reduced in width as it approaches its upper end, the tierods 3 inclining inwardly toward each other or converging toward their upper ends where they pass through oppositely-disposed perforations in a top or cap plate 7, located upon the top of the postor standard 6. Suitable nuts 8 are applied to the upper extremities of the tie-bolts 3 with a force sufficient to draw the several sections of the post firmly together, when the post is ready to plant.

In Fig. 5 I have shown how an adjacent pair of posts may be connected at their tops l by an anchoring-plate 9. This anchoring IOO at the surface of the ground and interposed between the upper plastic section or block 4t and the lower end of the post or standard 6. Said anchor-plate extends from one post to the other, as shown, and is perforated to receive all of the tie-bolts 3.

By means of the construction above described a simple, durable, and inexpensive form of hitching-post is obtained, and said post may be used also in the construction of fences, in which case the standards or uprights 6 would, o'f course, receive the usual pins, staples, or perforations.

By constructing the post of a serie-s of stone, cement, or plastic blocks at its base or that portion which enters the ground, the life and durability thereof will be greatly increased for the reason that the post, as a whole, will be unaffected by the moisture of the earth, and be prooic against the attacks of groundworms and other destroyingr agents. A post constructed in this manner may also be made of any desired height, and the distance which it projects into the ground may be regulated at will.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A post base formed from alternate sections of brick, stone, cement or other plastic material and interposed metallic plates projecting laterally beyond said sections, in combination with oppositely disposed tie-rods or bolts arranged upon opposite sides of said sections, substantially as described.

2. An improved post, having its base or that portion which enters the ground formed from a vertical series of blocks or sections composed of brick, stone, cement orother plastic material, between which are interposed metallic plates perforated to receive and in combination with a pair of tie-rods or bolts arranged upon opposite sides of said sections, an upright or standard of wood arranged above said sections, and a perforated cap plate located at the upper end of said post or standard and embracing said tie-rods or bolts, substantially as described.

3. A post base comprising a numberof sections in the form of blocks made of brick, stone, cement or other plastic material and provided with grooves or depressions at opposite sides, and perforated metallic plates interposed between and located above and beneath said sections, in combination with an upright or standard located above said base and in vertical line with said sections, and an oppositely disposed pair of tie-rods or bolts passing through said perforated metallic plates and resting within or partially within the grooves or depressions in said base sections and also lying within corresponding grooves in the opposite sides or edges of said post or standard, the upper en ds of said tierods or bolts passing through a perforated cap plate and being secured substantially in the manner specified.

4. The combination with a pair of posts made up of sections arranged in vertical alignment, of one or more anchoring plates or bars interposed between adjacent sections of said posts or secured to the upper ends of said posts and connecting the same, said anchoring plates being perforated to receive the tiebolts or rods which secure the several sections of said posts together, substantially as specified.

In testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

SETI-I I-I. SMITH. l/Vitnesses:

LORENZO P. REYNOLDS, IMMANUEL BROWN. 

